Determinates of Distribution and Density of Population

One of the main parts of India's population is its lopsided dispersion. On one hand, the number of inhabitants in India is profoundly moved in certain pockets like exceptionally urbanized and industrialized regions and areas of high horticultural efficiency, while then again there are for all intents and purposes segment deserts in high mountains, parched lands, thickly forested regions, and a few remote corners of the country. Such a circumstance needs a few clarifications and the clarification is found, by and large, by the investigation of a few topographical elements which influence the conveyance and thickness of the population in a given region. Other than some friendly, segment, political, and verifiable variables assume their part in impacting the dispersion and thickness of the population. It might additionally be accentuated that these variables act in entirety and not independently. While researchers join more significance to normal variables, Clarke and Zelensky are of the view that social elements are more noticeable in deciding the grouping of the population in space. As per Clarke, financial circumstances, innovative turn of events, social association, government strategy, and so on assume an imperative part in the conveyance of the population. The main considerations impacting the appropriation and thickness of the population are depicted as under:

Terrain:

The terrain of the land is a potent factor that influences the concentration and growth of the population. Normally speaking, plain areas encourage a higher density of population as compared to mountain regions. The steep slope in mountain areas restricts the availability of land for agriculture, development of transport, industries, and other economic activities which may tend to discourage the concentration of population and its proper growth.

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It is because of these adverse circumstances that the Himalayan region, though occupying about 13 percent of India’s land area, supports only 1-2 percent of the country’s population. In contrast to this, the Great Plain of North India is a land of extremely gentle slope and offers great opportunities for the growth of agriculture, transport, and industries.

This results in a higher concentration of population. Although the Great Plain of North India covers less than one-fourth of the country’s land area, it is home to more than half of India’s population.

Climate:

The climate is the most important factor influencing population distribution. The climate can either help or hinder population growth, depending on the type of climate.

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Climate can help to promote population growth in areas with temperate climates. These climates are typically found in the northern hemisphere. Temperate climates allow for plant and animal life to flourish, which in turn encourages the growth of new populations.

Climate is as important as the terrain in influencing the population. Of all the climatic factors, the twin elements of rainfall and temperature play the most important role in determining the population of an area. Man cannot go beyond the limits set by climate.

Extremes of climate discourage the concentration of population. Such climates include the too cold climate of the Himalayas and the too hot and dry climate of the Thar Desert. A moderate climate, on the other hand, is favorable for the population.

Of the twin factors of rainfall and temperature, rainfall is more effective in determining the distribution of population. It is generally said that the population map of India follows its rainfall map. Rainfall supplies sufficient water for agriculture which is the main occupation of the Indian masses.

As we move from the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta in the east towards the Thar Desert in the west, the amount of rainfall and consequently the density of population decrease. However, there are a few exceptions to this general observation.

The Assam valley in the northeast and the Circe’s coast on the Bay of Bengal has a moderate density of population although these areas receive heavy rainfall. Similarly, the southern face of the Himalayas is scarcely populated though this area receives sufficiently high rainfall.

Some of the adverse factors such as steep slopes, frequent floods, infertile soils, and dense forests counterbalance the positive effect of rainfall. Increased use of irrigation facilities in northwest India comprising Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh has resulted in a higher concentration of population than normally expected considering the amount of rainfall received by this region.

Since India is a tropical country, the temperature is fairly high and does not play as important a role as is done by rainfall except in extreme cases. At high altitudes, in the Himalayan region, the climate is too cold beyond 2,000m and the population is sparse there. There is practically no population in areas over 3,000 m above sea level.

Soil:

Soil is an important factor in determining the density of population in an overwhelmingly agricultural country like India. Fertile soil supports higher population density while infertile soil leads to low density. In the northern plain of India, the soil is regularly enriched by annual floods of the great rivers like the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries.

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Therefore, this is an area of high population density. The coastal plains also have fertile soils and are areas of high population density. The Black soil of the Deccan Plateau also supports high population density. On the other hand, desert soils, mountain soils, and laterite soils are infertile soils and are not capable of supporting high population densities. However, new technology in the agricultural field may change the future population scenario to some extent.

Water Bodies:

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The availability of water plays a significant role in determining the population of a given area. Water is the basic necessity for several purposes including irrigation, industries, transport, and domestic affairs. Rivers are the greatest source of fresh potable water. Therefore, most of the population is concentrated in the river valleys.

Mineral Resources:

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Minerals act as a great source of attraction for people from different areas, which results in a higher density of population. The higher population densities in the Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand and the adjoining areas of Orissa are largely due to the availability of minerals.

Industries:

Industrial growth offers massive employment opportunities and acts as a great magnet to attract people, particularly from neighboring areas. This results in higher population density. Industrial areas are almost invariably associated with areas of high population densities.

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One hectare of industrial land is capable of supporting several thousand persons, while the most fertile area devoted to agriculture may not support more than a few hundred persons per hectare. One of the major causes of high population density in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat is the phenomenal growth of industries in these states.

Transport:

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The growth of the population is directly proportional to the development of transport facilities. The northern plain of India has a dense network of transport routes and is a densely populated region. The peninsular plateau has a moderate network of transport routes and is a moderately populated area. The Himalayan region badly lacks transport facilities and is scarcely populated.

Urbanization:

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Urbanization and population concentration go hand-in-hand and are closely related to each other. All the urban centers are marked by a high density of population. The minimum density, that an area should have to be designated as urban, is 400 persons per sq. km. The highly urbanized districts of Kolkata, Chennai, Greater Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Chandigarh have population densities of over 6,000 persons per sq. km.